The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-04-14
MARTIN COLLEGE.
Who Does It Belong to?-The Evidence
and the Facts.


any feeling or-~bltterness. Rev
Thos. j. Duncan who institutes the
controversy is the presiding elder
and the authorized representative
and agent of the Tennessee confer
ence. He is a God fearing, God
serving man, and whatever he does,
be does it under authority and in
good conscience. Ga the other
hand, the entire official board Of
the church in Pulaski, the board OF
trust of the college, all OF whom are
Methodists except one, the entire
congregation, and the entire COM
munity without single exception
so far as we know and believe, all
agree in disagreeing with Mr.. Dun
can. These are the facts:
The college was leased two years
ago to Misses Hood and Heron,
with a privilege Of release this
LIST of April upon certain condi
tions. These conditions were met
and The college is now released to
them for period OF three years.
They came into its management
two years ago when by reason OF
certain untoward and infortuitous
circumstances it was almost broken
down, but under their superior
management it has not only regain
ed its original prosperous status,
but has been advanced in all re-
spects beyond the most sanguine
hopes of its most earnest friends
The two lady principals are not
Methodists, however, and upon that
fact hinge all the objections, it be
ing asserted that Mr.. Martin in
tended to make a Methodist school
and that under the will the title
rests in the Tennessee Annual Con
ference.
Mr.. Duncan therefore made an
official demand upon the trustees
that the school be placed under
Methodist principalship, and he of
ficially nominated Methodist lady
of Nashville. 1t is understood that
the conference will assert its title
under the will and it is given out
that the action of the presiding ell
der is based upon legal opinions
obtained with view to asserting
the claim in the courts. It there
fore. becomes important to know
what Mr.. Martin said in his will.
Two sections alone refer to it,which
we copy exactly:
ITEM S.-"I direct my executors to
deposit in some bank or secure place
thirty state bonds of one thousand dol
lars each, IS OF the old series and y OF
the new, and pay over to the officers of
the M. Z. Church, South, established in
the town OF Pulaski, the interest which
may accrue and be collected on the
same to be by them appropriated for
the purchasing OF grounds and erecting
suitable buildings Tor female school,
and after said buildings shall be erect
ed said interest shall be annually APP
propriated in part payment Of the
teachers who may be employed in said
school,"
ITEM I1.-'In addition to the bequest
which have already made for the use
and benefit of female school in Pulas-
XII, hereby be4ueath to said Institution
the sum of five thousand dollars ir
cash to be paid over to the trustees al
the expiration Of two years after tht
qualification of my executor. In tht
event there should not be any trustees
appointed for the female school, Their
~, Of h aI
| for the use and benefit of said school
direct to be paid over to the officers O
| the M. f. Church in the town of PU
| laski and to be by them appropriated
solely and exclusively for the use aut
| benefit of said school as before di
| reectd."
No mention is made of airy con
ference. There are several living
witnesses who all agree IN testifyin4
| that Mr.. Martin said repeatedly
that it was not his wish to estabiisi
denominational school. Mai. j
B. Stacy, Mr.. j. B. Childers, Mr.
Newton White, Judge Thos. II
Jones, all of whom were specially
close to and intimate with Mr.. Mar
tin, all unhesitating.y declare tina
be told them repeatedly that be dit
not want q denominatIonal school
Indeed, the frat draft Of bis vii
drawn by Judge Jones who still
Survives, named the trustees, aus aa n. !,
himself named men who were no
Methodists. His executor, Jadg
Spoford, his son-in-law, who Ger
tainly knew his mind, joined in AM
| was 3 party to the proceeding
which established the scnool uson
non sectarian basis. The origins
board of stewards to whom MI
Martin entrusted the execution O
his will, while the matter was fresI
in mind met and in she very act G
carrying out the purposes of th
testator named nine trustees of th
college, TOUR Of whom were no
Methodists, this conclusively show
ing that it was their opinion tina
the school was not to be sectaria
school. Thus it appears that Nj
| III dl I'LL AlhoCIi III vi llblDS bAG Ii
copy Of the will, his executor i
carrying ont the trust, the board c
official Methodists in accepting th
trust and providing for its carry in
; out, and the close and intimat
friends of Mr.. Martin who sat b
his bedside when he died, all agte
exactly that it was not his purpos
to establish denominations
school,.
But, be 1t known, the will mus
be construed, the law says, on i
face and no outside oral testimon
can be heard. 1t appears here col
, clusiyely that Mr. Martin did n,
intend to give the school to the col
a ference, but the evidence cannot
+ heard because it is incompetent Vi
: der the rules Of EVIDENCE,
+ Can the conference, q religion
: body whose purpose is manifest
r to do right in all things-can it a
ford to take advantage of a techn
cality and seize upon the SCHOOL
0 face of this undoubted and irrefra,
D ible evidence that it has no title
t morals or conscience?